But none of this is a substitute for the most urgent need of all – to find a political solution that brings peace to Syria and enables the millions of refugees to return home.

Yesterday I held talks with President Putin.

We reviewed the progress made by our foreign ministers in Vienna to deliver a transition in Syria.

We still have disagreements – there are still big gaps between us – but there is progress.

I also met with President Obama and European leaders in the G20.

We agreed some important concrete steps forward, including basing some British aircraft, alongside other NATO allies, at the airbase at Incirlik if that is the decision of the North Atlantic Council which meets shortly.

These will be in an air defence role to support Turkey at this difficult time.

We also agreed the importance of stepping up our joint effort to deal with ISIL – in Iraq, in Syria and wherever it manifests itself.

This raises important questions for our country.

We must ask ourselves if we are really doing all we can be doing, all we should be doing, to deal with the threat that ISIL poses to us directly – not just through the measures we are taking at home, but by dealing with ISIL on the ground, in the territory that it controls.

Now we are taking part in air strikes over Iraq – and have struck over 350 targets and significant action has been taken in recent hours.

But ISIL is not just present in Iraq. It operates across the border in Syria, a border that is meaningless for it – to ISIL it is all one space.

And it is in Syria – in Raqqa – that ISIL has its headquarters, and it is from Raqqa that some of the main threats against this country are planned and orchestrated.

Raqqa is the head of the snake.

Over Syria we are supporting our allies – the US, France, Jordan and Gulf countries – with intelligence, surveillance and refuelling.

But I believe as I’ve said many times before we should be doing more.

We face a direct and growing threat to our country, and we need to deal with it, not just in Iraq, but in Syria too.

I have always said there is a strong case for us doing so; our allies are asking us to; and the case for doing so has only grown stronger after the Paris attacks.

We cannot expect, we should not expect others to carry the burdens – and the risks – of protecting our country.

Now I recognise that there are concerns in this House.

What difference would action by the UK really make?

Would it make the situation worse?

How does the recent Russian action affect the situation?

How, above all, how would a decision by Britain to join in strikes against ISIL in Syria fit into a comprehensive strategy for dealing with ISIL…

…and a diplomatic strategy to bring the war in Syria to an end?

I understand those concerns, and I know they must be answered. I believe they can be answered.

Many of them were expressed in the recent report by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

My firm conviction is that we need to act against ISIL in Syria.

There is a compelling case for doing so.

It is for the government, I accept, to make that case to this House and to the country.

I can therefore announce that as a first important step to do so, I will respond personally to the report of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

I will set out our comprehensive strategy for dealing with ISIL and our vision for a more stable and peaceful Middle East.

This strategy – in my view – should include taking action in Syria which I’ve spoken about.

And I hope that setting out the arguments in this way will help to build support right across this House for the action that I believe is necessary to take.

Global challenges

That is what I am going to be putting in place over the coming days and I hope that colleagues from across the House will engage with that and make clear their views so we can have a strong vote in this House of Commons and do the right thing for our country.

Finally, the G20 also addressed other longer term threats to global security.

In just two weeks’ time, we will gather in Paris to agree a global climate change deal.

This time – unlike Kyoto – it will include the USA and China.

Here at this summit, I urged leaders to keep up the ambition of limiting global warming by 2050 to less than 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

Every country needs to put forward its programme for reducing carbon emissions.

And as G20 countries, we also need to do more to provide the financing that is needed to help poorer countries around the world switch to greener forms of energy…

…and adapt to the effects of climate change.

We also agreed that we should do more to wipe out the corruption that chokes off development…

….and deal with antimicrobial resistance.

Corruption is the cancer at the heart of so many of the problems the world faces today…

…from migrants fleeing corrupt African states…

…to corrupt governments undermining our efforts on global poverty by preventing people from getting the revenues and the services that are rightfully theirs.

While if antibiotics stop working properly, the antimicrobial resistant issue, millions will die unnecessarily.

So these are both vital issues on which the United Kingdom is taking a real lead.

Conclusion

Mr Speaker, let me conclude by returning to the terrorist threat.

Here in the UK, the threat level is already severe – which means an attack is highly likely, and will remain so.

That is why we continue to encourage the public to remain vigilant.

And we will do all we can to support our police and intelligence agencies as they work around the clock.

The terrorist aim is clear. It is to divide us and to destroy our way of life.

So now more than ever we must come together and stand united – carrying on with the way of life that we know and love.

Tonight England will play France at Wembley.

This match is going ahead.

Our people stand together…

…as they have done so many times throughout history when faced with evil.

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